User blog:SPARTAN 119/Artemis Global Security (H.A.W.X) vs The Army of the New Millenium (Eagle One)
Artemis Global Security, the rogue PMC that attempted to invade the United States VS The Army of the New Millenium, the heavily-armed terrorist organization that invaded the Hawaiian Islands WHO IS DEADLIEST?! =Combatants= Artemis Global Security Artemis Global Security is the primary antagonist in the video game Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Artemis was a private military company that recruited a squadron of veteran ex-US Air Force pilots, including game protagonist David Crenshaw, the High Altitude Warfare, Experimental (HAWX) squadron. Artemis possessed an arsenal rivaling a large national army, including infantry, armor, artillery, air, and naval forces. Artemis came into conflict with the US when they US forces started taking the place of Artemis forces in aiding the Brazilians in a war against a South American anti-US alliance called Las Trinidad. Artemis decided to defect and make a contract with Las Trinidad, threatening to destroy US aircraft carrier USS James Lawrence. Fortunately for Lawrence, the HAWX squadron, currently in the employ of Artemis defected back to the US, and destroyed the Artemis flagship, a hybrid aircraft/missile carrier, the Myrmidon. After the betrayal, the US launched a bombing attack on Artemis HQ in the Carribbean. At this point, Artemis CEO Adrian DeWinter ordered a full-scale invasion of the US, with Artemis forces reaching Washington and damaging the White House before being pushed back. Artemis also disable the SLAMS (Satellite Laser Anti-Missile System) and stole nuclear weapons from Norfolk Naval Yard, and then threatening to attack a major US city if the US does not surrender. In the end, however, Artemis is defeated by the efforts of the US, NATO, and the Japanese Self-Defense Force, who aided in defending a US carrier battle group in Tokyo Bay. DeWinter was traced to an undisclosed location and which was bombed by Crenshaw himself, killing DeWinter and the rest of the Artemis board of directors. After their surrender, Artemis was disbanded and the UN ordered all PMCs to return to providing only logistical support or disband altogether. Army of the New Millennium The Army of the New Millennium is a heavily armed terrorist group that serves as the primary antagonist in the 2000 flight simulator Eagle One: Harrier Attack. The ANM is an anti-American terrorist organization armed with massive amounts of military hardware. Later in the game, it is even revealed that they are capable of manufacturing their own aircraft, the ANM-50, an aircraft similar in appearance to the Su-47 Berkut and based of the plans for a "Russian stealth fighter" (presumably referring to the Berkut). The first known action of the ANM was the hijacking of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Boschev, which was initially believed to have sunk in a hurricane. The ANM detonated an EMP weapon over Hawaii, disabling all electronics. The ANM invaded Hawaii with a massive force of troops, armored vehicles, combat aircraft, naval vessels, led by the Admiral Boschev. At the same time, the ANM launched numerous cyber-terror attacks on the United States, including auto and air-traffic control systems, water delivery and filtering systems, hospitals, banks, and even released toxic clouds from a chemical plant. The cyber terror attacks caused massive chaos, leading to a declaration of martial law in the US. The ANM threatened to follow these attacks with a mainland attack on the US. Due to the lack of available forces due to the need to defend against invasion, only a few military forces, most notably a squadron of AV8B Harrier VTOL attack aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier USS Armstrong. In spite of the small number of US forces in the liberation force, the US forces, in particular the Harrier squadron, led by a skilled pilot designated Eagle One managed to decimate the ANM forces in Hawaii against all odds, eliminating ANM ground and air forces, sinking a number of ANM naval vessels including the Admiral Boschev, and even preventing the ANM for deploying nuclear weapons in a final bid to render the islands uninhabitable after they were force into retreat. =Air/Naval Forces= "Cannon Fodder" Aircraft Sukhoi-25 "Frogfoot (AGS) The Sukhoi Su-25 (NATO reporting name: "Frogfoot") is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975. After testing, the aircraft went into series production in 1978 at Tbilisi in the Soviet Republic of Georgia. Russian air and ground forces nicknamed it "Gratch" ("Rook"). Early variants included the Su-25UB two-seat trainer, the Su-25BM for target-towing, and the Su-25K for export customers. Some aircraft were being upgraded to Su-25SM standard in 2012. The Su-25T and the Su-25TM (also known as the Su-39) were further developments, not produced in significant numbers. The Su-25, and the Su-34, were the only armoured, fixed-wing aircraft in production in 2007.1 Su-25s are in service with Russia, other CIS states, and export customers. The type has seen combat in several conflicts during its more than 30 years in service. It was heavily involved in the Soviet war in Afghanistan, flying counter-insurgency missions against the Mujahideen. The Iraqi Air Force employed Su-25s against Iran during the 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War. Most were later destroyed or flown to Iran in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Abkhazian separatists used Su-25s during the Abkhazian War from 1992 to 1993. The Macedonian Air Force used Su-25s against Albanian insurgents in the 2001 Macedonia conflict and, in 2008, Georgia and Russia both used Su-25s in the Russo-Georgian War. African states, including the Ivory Coast, Chad, and Sudan have used the Su-25 in local insurgencies and civil wars. *Top Speed: Mach 0.8 *Service Ceiling: 7000 meters *Armament: 11x hardpoints for Vympel R-73 short-range missiles OR Kh-29 air-to-surface missiles, OR laser-guided bombs, 1x 30mm cannon For the purposes of this match: All aircraft: 4x R-73 (AAM), 5x Kh-29 (AGM), 2x 500 kg (1102 lb) bombs MiG 21 "Fishbed" (ANM) The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "Balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek (English: pencil) by Polish pilots due to the shape of its fuselage. Early versions are considered second-generation jet fighters, while later versions are considered to be third-generation jet fighters. Approximately 60 countries over four continents have flown the MiG-21, and it still serves many nations a half-century after its maiden flight. The fighter made aviation records. At least by name, it is the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history and the most-produced combat aircraft since the Korean War, and it had the longest production run of a combat aircraft (1959 to 1985 over all variants). *Top Speed: Mach 2.0 *Service Ceiling: 17,800 meters *Armament: 2x Vympel R-27 medium range air-to-air missiles OR 4x Vympel R-73 short-range missiles OR 2x bomb, 1x 23mm cannon For his match: *Defensive Force: 4x R-73, 2x R-27 *Strike Force: 2x 500kg bomb 119's Edge The Sukhoi is, in truth, a ground attack aircraft similar to the A-10, meaning that, while it carries a heavier armament than the MiG, it is far less maneuverable and much slower. This will give the Sukhoi more firepower to target the ANM ships, it will be an easier target for AAA and SAMs. EDGE: ANM Strike Fighters F/A 18 Hornet (AGS) The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (F/A designation for Fighter/Attack). Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations. The U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, has used the Hornet since 1986. The F/A-18 has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (1,190 mph or 1,915 km/h at 40,000 ft or 12,190 m). It can carry a wide variety of bombs and missiles, including air-to-air and air-to-ground, supplemented by the 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon. It is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines, which give the aircraft a high thrust-to-weight ratio. The F/A-18 has excellent aerodynamic characteristics, primarily attributed to its leading edge extensions (LEX). The fighter's primary missions are fighter escort, fleet air defense, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), air interdiction, close air support and aerial reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its earlier contemporaries, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the fighter and strike fighter role, and the Grumman A-6 Intruder and LTV A-7 Corsair II in the attack role. The Hornet saw its first combat action in 1986 during Operation El Dorado Canyon and subsequently participated in 1991 Operation Desert Storm and 2003 Operation Iraqi Freedom. The F/A-18 Hornet provided the baseline design for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, a larger, evolutionary redesign of the F/A-18. *Top speed: Mach 1.8 *Service Ceiling: 15,240m *Armament: *up to 12 Sidewinder short range or AMRAAM medium range air-to-air missiles, bombs, various AGMs and anti-ship missiles 1x 20mm Vulcan Gatling gun. For the purpose of this match: *Strike force x5: *2x Sidewinder, 2x AMRAAM, 2x Harpoon anti-ship missile *Defense force: 6x Sidewinder, 6x AMRAAM F15 Strike Eagle (ANM) The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force (USAF) F-15E Strike Eagles can be distinguished from other U.S. Eagle variants by darker camouflage and conformal fuel tanks mounted along the engine intakes. The Strike Eagle has been deployed for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. During these operations the F-15E has carried out deep strikes against high-value targets, combat air patrols, and providing close air support for coalition troops. It has also seen action in later conflicts and has been exported to several countries. *Top speed: Mach 2.5+ *Service Ceiling: 15,240m+ *Armament: 8x AMRAAM or Sidewinder missiles, 2x Harpoon ASM 1x 20mm Vulcan Gatling gun For the purposes of this match: *Strike force (5 aircraft): 2x Sidewinder, 2x AMRAAM, 2x Harpoon *Defensive Force: 4x Sidewinder, 4x AMRAAM 119's Edge The ANM's F-15 Strike Eagle for its higher speed and service ceiling, allowing it to attack from above more easily. This is a close one, as the F/A-18 is lighter, smaller, and thus more maneuverable, and has a slightly larger armament. SLIGHT EDGE: ANM Supermaneuverability Fighters F15 ACTIVE (AGS) The McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL/MTD (Short Takeoff and Landing/Maneuver Technology Demonstrator) is a modified F-15 Eagle. Developed as a technology demonstrator, the F-15 STOL/MTD carried out research for studying the effects of thrust vectoring and enhanced maneuverability. The aircraft used for the project was pre-production TF-15A (F-15B) No. 1 (USAF S/N 71-0290), the first two-seat F-15 Eagle built by McDonnell Douglas (out of 2 prototype2), the sixth F-15 off the assembly line, and was the oldest F-15 flying up to its retirement. It was also used as the avionics testbed for the F-15E Strike Eagle program.3 The plane was on loan to NASA from the United States Air Force. This same aircraft would later be used in the F-15 ACTIVE (Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles) from 1993–1999, and later in the Intelligent Flight Control System programs from 1999 to 2008. With the help of thrust vectoring nozzles, this aircraft can perform the famous Pugachev's Cobra maneuver. While with NASA, the plane's tail number was 837; for the Quiet Spike program and Research Testbed it was 836, and 835 was used for the Highly Integrated Digital Electronic Control (HIDEC) program. In spite of only one being built, Artemis some how got their hands on some copies of the ACTIVE, modified to carry cannon aand missiles. *Top Speed: Mach 2 *Service Ceiling: 18,288m *Armament: 8x Sidewinder or AMRAAM, 1x 20mm Vulcan Gatling Gun (assumed) For the purposes of this match: Both strike escorts and defensive: 4x Sidewinder, 4x AMRAAM Sukhoi 37 "Flanker" (ANM) The Sukhoi Su-37 (NATO reporting name: Flanker-F) is an experimental single-seat, supermaneuverable multirole jet fighter, designed by Sukhoi. A further development of the original Su-27 "Flanker", it was modified from the first-generation Su-35 (formerly "T10M") prototypes. The Su-37 features an upgraded avionic suite and fire-control system, but its most notable additions are the thrust-vectoring nozzles. Only two prototypes were converted. During the Su-35 flight test programme, active controls during dogfighting maneuvers could not be attained. At the same time, Sukhoi was exploring the application of thrust-vectoring nozzles for fighter jets, giving it better dogfighting attributes. The first Su-37, converted from the eleventh Su-35, made its maiden flight in April 1996 at Zhukovsky. It was joined by a second prototype in 1998. Throughout the entire program, the Su-37 demonstrated its potential to prospective operators at numerous air shows, performing maneuvers impossible to complete with normal flight control methods, among which was a 360° somersault. Despite its potential tactical advantage, the Su-37 did not enter production, and instead remained as a technology demonstrator for updated Su-27 family aircraft such as the export Su-30 and the modernized Su-35. Again, in spite of not entering produciton, the ANM somehow got their hands on a bunch of Su-37s. *Top Speed: Mach 2.35 *Service Ceiling: 18,000 meters *Armament: 1x 30mm cannon, 12x short or medium range air-to-air missiles For the purpose of this match, 6x R-73/short, 6x R-27/long 119's Edges The ACTIVE is an old model, and is now retired, unlike the newer, faster, more heavily armed Sukhoi. EDGE: ANM Advanced Fighters Sukhoi 47 Berkut (AGS) The Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut (Russian: Су-47 Беркут—Golden Eagle) (NATO reporting name Firkin), also designated S-32 and S-37 (not to be confused with the twin-engined delta canard design1 offered by Sukhoi in the early 1990s under the designation Su-37) during initial development, was an experimental supersonic jet fighter developed by Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. A distinguishing feature of the aircraft was its forward-swept wing that gave the aircraft excellent agility and maneuverability. While serial production of the type never materialized, the sole aircraft produced served as a technology demonstrator prototype for a number of advanced technologies later used in the 4.5 generation fighter SU-35BM and current fifth-generation jet fighter prototype Sukhoi PAK FA T-50. On August 11, 2014, Commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Forces, Colonel General Viktor Bondarev claimed that Russia is still continuing the research and development of Su-47 or similar foward-swept wing fighters. The new prototypes of such aircraft will be unveiled in the near future. *Top Speed: Mach 1.65 *Service Ceiling: 18,000 meters *Armament:14 x R-77 medium range missiles, R-73 short range missiles, 1x 30mm autocannon ANM-50 The ANM-50 is an aircraft designed and built by the Army of the New Millenium and deployed late in their Hawaiian Campaign. This aircraft proved that they were capable of manufacturing their own advanced combat aircraft. The ANM-50 proved a tough adversary from US aircraft deployed in the islands, proving far superior the Harrier jump jet flown by the protagonist of the game, and even proving a match for a US Air Force F16 that played the role of the primary front line fighter in the conflict. The aircraft appears to be a copy of the Sukhoi-47 Berkut, and the blueprints were stated to have been stolen from the Russians by computer hackers. *Stats: Assumed identical to the Sukhoi-47 119's Edge While the ANM-50 is a copy of the Sukhoi-47, at least on paper, mulitple ANM-50s were shot down by F-16s and even Harrier jump jets (admittedly it helps that they were piloted by a video game protagonist!). This suggests that the Sukhoi is either of better build quality, or, more likely, that the ANM's pilot training is sub-standard. EDGE: AGS Bombers Tupelov Tu-22M (AGS) The Tupolev Tu-22M (Russian: Туполев Ту-22М; NATO reporting name: Backfire) is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau. Significant numbers remain in service with the Russian Air Force, and As of 2014 more than 100 Tu-22M are in use. Similar to its contemporaries MiG-23 and Su-17 projects, the advantages of variable-sweep wing (or "swing wing") seemed attractive, allowing a combination of short take-off performance, efficient cruising, and good high-speed, low-level ride. The result was a new swing wing aircraft named Samolyot 145 (English: Aeroplane 145), derived from the Tupolev Tu-22, with some features borrowed from the abortive Tu-98. The Tu-22M was based on the Tu-22's weapon system and used its Kh-22 missile. The Tu-22M designation was used to help get approval for the bomber within the Soviet military and government system. The Tu-22M designation was used by the Soviet Union during the SALT II arms control negotiations, creating the impression that it was a modification of the Tu-22. Some suggested that the designation was deliberately deceptive, and intended to hide the Tu-22M's performance. Other sources suggest the "deception" was internal to make it easier to get budgets approved. According to some sources, the Backfire-B/C production variants were believed to be designated Tu-26 by Russia, although this is disputed by many others. The US State and Defense Departments have used the Tu-22M designation for the Backfire. Production of all Tu-22M variants totalled 497 including pre-production aircraft. *Top Speed: Mach 1.8 *Service Ceiling: 13,300m *Armament: *1x 23mm tailgun, 10x AS-16 "Kickback" long-range anti-ship missiles B-52 Stratofortress (ANM) The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s. The bomber is capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons. Beginning with the successful contract bid in June 1946, the B-52 design evolved from a straight-wing aircraft powered by six turboprop engines to the final prototype YB-52 with eight turbojet engines and swept wings. The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952. Built to carry nuclear weapons for Cold War-era deterrence missions, the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36. A veteran of several wars, the B-52 has dropped only conventional munitions in combat. The B-52's official name Stratofortress is rarely used in informal circumstances, and it has become common to refer to the aircraft as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker). The B-52 has been in active service with the USAF since 1955. As of 2012, 85 were in active service with nine in reserve. The bombers flew under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was inactivated in 1992 and its aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command (ACC); in 2010 all B-52 Stratofortresses were transferred from the ACC to the new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept the B-52 in service despite the advent of later, more advanced aircraft, including the canceled Mach 3 B-70 Valkyrie, the variable-geometry B-1 Lancer, and the stealth B-2 Spirit. The B-52 completed fifty years of continuous service with its original operator in 2005; after being upgraded between 2013 and 2015, it is expected to serve into the 2040s. The ANM used multiple B-52s, presumably captured from US bases, in a failed attempt to bomb the base of Eagle Squadron, but they were shot down by an ace Harrier pilot known only by his call sign, Eagle One. *Top Speed: 650 mph *Service Ceiling: 15,000 meters *Armament: Up to 70,000 lbs of bombs or missiles For the purposes of this match, 12x Harpoon anti-ship missiles 119's Edge While the B-52 does carry a larger number of ASMs, the Tupelov is faster, and it's missiles have a longer range and and a much higher flight speed, making them unlikely to be intercepted by CIWS and SAM defenses. Edge: AGS Escorts Sovremennyy-class Destroyer x6 (Both) While the escorts for each force are not mentioned in the games, both side will be assumed to have six Sovremennyy-class destroyers, given both sides' heavy use of Russian hardware. The Sovremennyy-class destroyer is the principal anti-surface warship of the Russian Navy. The Soviet designation for the class was Project 956 Sarych (Buzzard). Its primary role is to attack enemy warships while also providing sea and air defense for warships and transports under escort. It complements the Udaloy-class destroyers in anti-submarine operations. The vessel carries eight SS-N-22 anti-ship missiles, 48 SA-N-12 SAMs, Four 130mm guns in two twin turrets and 4 30mm anti-aircraft/missile Gatling guns. Flagships ''Myrmidon'' (AGS) The Myrmidon is a massive warship used by Artemis global security, over 2500 feet in length, making it over twice as long as a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. The vessel is heavily armored, resisting multiple missile and bomb impacts before it is finally destroyed. The vessel is armed with advanced anti-ship missiles capable of destroying a modern US fleet carrier, as well as numerous SAM batteries, close-in weapons systems, and naval guns. The ship also carries a complement of aircraft. ''Admiral Boschev (ANM) The Admiral Boschev is a fictional Russian aircraft carrier that the ANM hijacked and used as a flagship. The vessel appears to be ''Kiev-class aircraft carrier. The Kiev-class carrier carries 80-100 SAMs, two dual purpose guns, eight close in-weapons systems, and, unusually for a carrier, eight surface to surface missile launchers and ten torpedo tubes. This allows the Kiev-class to defend itself against surface ships and submarines, at least to a degree, as well as having strong air defenses. The ANM appear to have modified the ship to carry a complement of their aircraft, including ANM-50s. The Kiev-class carrier can carry a total of 12 fixed wing aircraft and 16 helicopters, however, the limitations will be ignored to make this battle fair (some of the aircraft may be land-based). 119's Edge The Myrmidon has far more firepower than the Admiral Boschev. Edge: AGS =Order of Battle= Artemis Global Security Flagship *Myrmidon **large compliment of SAMs, AAA guns, anti-ship missiles Escorts 6x Sovremennyy-class destroyer ***AAA guns, SAMs, 130mm guns, anti-ship missiles, Strike Force (with loadout) Mission: Sink the Admiral Boschev *10x Su-25 **4x R-73 (AAM), 5x Kh-29 (AGM), 2x 500 kg (1102 lb) bombs *10x F/A-18 Hornet **2x Sidewinder, 2x AMRAAM, 2x Harpoon anti-ship missile *5x Escorting F-15 ACTIVE ** 4x Sidewinder, 4x AMRAAM *5x Escorting Sukhoi Su-47 **7x R-27 medium range missiles, 7x R-73 short range missiles Defensive Force Mission: Defend the Myrmidon *20x F-15 ACTIVE ** 4x Sidewinder, 4x AMRAAM *10x Su-47 Berkut **7x R-27 medium range missiles, 7x R-73 short range missiles Heavy Bombers *5x Tu-22M "Backfire" **10x AS-16 "Kickback" long-range anti-ship missiles *5x Su-47 Escorts **7x R-27 medium range missiles, 7x R-73 short range missiles Army of the New Millenium Flagship Admiral Boschev **AAA guns, SAMs, anti-ship missiles (see article above) Escorts 6x Sovremennyy-class destroyer ***AAA guns, SAMs, 130mm guns, anti-ship missiles, Strike Force *Mission: Sink the Myrmidon *10x MiG-21 **2x R-77 short range AAM **2x 500 kg bombs *10x F-15 Strike Eagle **2x Sidewinder, 2x AMRAAM, 2x Harpoon *5x Escorting Su-37 **6x R-73/short, 6x R-27/long *5x Escorting ANM-50 **7x R-27 medium range missiles, 7x R-73 short range missiles Defensive Force *20x Sukhoi Su-37 **6x R-73/short, 6x R-27/long *10x ANM-50 **7x R-27 medium range missiles, 7x R-73 short range missiles Heavy Bombers *5x B-52 **12x Harpoon anti-ship missiles **5x Escorting ANM-50 **7x R-27 medium range missiles, 7x R-73 short range missiles =Location= The battle will take place on a neutral location for both sides- actually the Rook Islands from Far Cry 3. The general movements will be shown above, but both fleets may deviate from this plan if it is tactically advanatageous to do so. =Battle= Artemis Global Security: 20x Sukhoi-25 "Frogfoot", 20x F/A-18, 20x F-15 ACTIVE, 15 Sukhoi-47 Berkut, 2x Tu-22M "Backfire", 6x Destroyer, AGS Myrmidon Army of The New Millenium: 20x MiG-21 "Fishbed", 2Ox F-15E Strike Eagle, 20x Sukhoi Su-37 "Flanker", 15x ANM-50, 6x Destroyer, ANM Admiral Boschev 20 miles off of the Rook Islands, ANM F-15 Strike Eagle "Havoc Lead" It had been six weeks since the Army of the New Millenium had easily crushed the Rook Island Republic- a state set up by the island's Rakyat natives after the downfall of pirate warlord Hoyt Volker. Unable to spare the forces to engage the ANM, the United States hired PMC Artemis Global Security to counter this act of ANM aggression. Six weeks later, Artemis arrived with a fleet of ships, including the state-of-the-art aircraft carrier-missile cruiser hybrid Myrmidon, the largest warship ever built, twice the length of an American Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. "Havoc Lead" was the lead pilot of a flight of ten F-15E Strike Eagles armed with anti-ship missiles, the main strike force, as well as ten old MiG-21s- cannon fodder. Escorting the flight were five Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker fighters. And yet, they had met no Artemis opposition, and they were nearly in missile range. The skies were quiet... too quiet.... "We are now in missile range of the Artemis fleet", Havoc Lead said through the radio, "Havoc flight, aircraft release ordnance!" "This is Havoc-1, Rifle-1, I say again, Rifle-1", Havoc Lead's wingman said, denoting the release of an air-to-surface missile. Sure enough, two Harpoon anti-shipping missiles streaked over the horizon, towards their distant targets. Soon after, Havoc lead and two other aircraft had released their missiles when suddenly, a thunder roar filled the air. A missile slammed into Havoc-5, sending the aircraft up in a flash of fire. The Su-37 escorts broke off to engage a foe coming in from above as MiGs and F-15s exploded around them. Missiles swarmed in, immediately blasting half the F-15s and all but two of the MiGs out of the air. Seconds later, a computerized voice spoke to into Havoc Lead's ear. "Radar Lock Detected". Havoc broke off, but the missile alert never came. Instead a stream of 30mm tracer rounds perforated the last surviving MiG, immediately to his right. The aircraft went down, trailing flames and smoke. A black-painted Sukhoi-47 blew by Havoc's aircraft. At a range of 1500 meters, Havoc fired his only two Sidewinder missiles- most of the aircraft's ordnance was taken up by the massive Harpoon missiles. Havoc fully expected the supermaneuverable fighter to evade the missile, but to his surprise, it didn't. One of the Sidewinders slammed into the back of the AGS jet and sent it up in a ball of flames. But Havoc Lead's victory was short-lived. As he was about to turn back towards his airfield, Havoc felt an a powerful force vibrate his aircraft, like the turbulence from hell. Looking behind him he realized one of his engine was burning. Havoc lead pulled the eject lever, but nothing happened- his only hope for survival was dead. As he realized this, Havoc Lead looked down on the ocean that would be the last thing he would ever see, and saw, silhouetted in the distance, a fleet of seven ship- Artemis. Havoc slammed the throttle forward, muttering a prayer that his aircraft would not explode, not until he had exacted his final vengeance against the agents of the American war machine. CIWS turrets on the destroyers and the Myrmidon itself blazed, riddling the second engine with bullets. As flame erupted around him, Havoc One gave a final furious shout as his stricken aircraft slammed into forward vertical launch system of the Myrmidon. The ANM "kamikaze" attack set off the warheads of the several of the missiles, causing a sheet of flames to erupt from the missile launcher. The front upper decks of the Myrmidon burned, releasing a towering column of black smoke as damage control crews raced to douse the fires and keep them from spreading to the rest of the ship. And yet, the Myrmidon stayed afloat. Reaper Lead, AGS Sukhoi-47 Berkut pilot The ANM strike had left the forward missile launch systems on the Myrmidon completely disabled, and the missile strikes had also sunk two destroyers of the ANM fleet. AGS had also lost ten aircraft in the defense of their fleet. Understandably, every man in the AGS force was now out for blood. A voice on the radio gave the AGS pilots the news they had been hoping for: Their wish for ANM blood had been granted: "RADAR reports a group of bandits moving in from the south at high speed, looks like high-level bombers with escorts moving in on Myrmidon. Engage and destroy, Reaper flight, do not let them get in firing distance." "Roger, Citadel", Reaper Lead replied, "Moving to engage bandits". Reaper lead pulled his stick to the left, banking in the direction of the radar contacts at high speed. After about ten minutes of flight time, they were within range of the targets. "This is Citadel", the AGS radar operator said, "I read five contacts breaking off from the bomber formation and heading in your direction". "Thanks for the heads up, Citadel", Reaper Lead replied, "We've got these guys". Reaper lead heard the radar lock tone fill his ear as he pressed the button on top of his stick, sending a radar-guided missile towards the one of the incoming bandits. As he did so, the other five aircraft of his flight also fired off their missiles. In the distance, Reaper Lead though he saw a flash of fire as his missile struck a black dot that was his foe. Sure enough, the radar showed one less bandit in the sky. The others, however, had dropped flares or evaded. The enemy ANM-50s fired off their first salvo of missiles, setting off alarms in Reaper's cockpit. "Missiles incoming, BREAK!", his wingman, Reaper-2 yelled. Reaper-2 did an abrupt J-turn, pulling the throttle down and making a tight 90-degree turn as he dropped flares, before pulling the throttle forward again. At the same time, the rest of the formation broke apart. Four of the flight survived, but here as a distress call from Reaper-3: "Reaper-3 is hit, I'm bailing out, notify search and rescue!" Out of the corner of his eye, Reaper-Lead spotted an ANM-50- an exact copy of his Berkut turn and engage Reaper 2. Reaper-Lead locked on and pressed the fire button twice, yelling "Fox One!" into his radio, having ripple-fired two missiles at ANM aircraft. The ANM pilot maneuvered to evade the missiles, but was immediately struck by the second missile, sending it up in flames. "Nice shooting, I thought he had me", Reaper 2 replied. Seconds later, more good news came over the radio- "Reaper 5 has a kill, repeat Reaper 5 has kill" Then, the bad new- a stream of tracers flew past Reaper-Lead's canopy- an ANM-50 was about 200 meters off his tail, and lining to fire a second burst. Hoping this would work, Reaper-Lead lowered the throttle and nosed up. The aircraft did an ultra-tight loop, it almost looked like it did a backflip in midair, and, in the process, dropped speed. The maneuver, which used thrust vectoring an a controlled stall, called a Kulbit, has worked. The ANM-50 had overshot him. Reaper Lead held down the trigger for less than a second- that was enough to put several rounds into the enemy's tail and send it down in a fiery spiral into the sea. "Bandit down, I say again, Bandit down", Reaper-4 said- the flight had eliminated the last of the fighters". "The fighters are history", Reaper responded, "Lets deal with those bombers". That was the easy part- the slow-moving B-52s the ANM had gotten a hold of were easy targets. Reaper Lead took out two of them himself. "Hey Lead", Reaper Two called over, "Congratulations, you are now official the first PMC ace, and in one day to boot. Beer's on us tonight!" He had just realized he was correct- three fighters, and two bombers- five aircraft. An ace in one day. Thunder Lead, F-18 pilot, Artemis Global Security, several hours later This was it, the final mission of the battle. Only twenty minutes previous, a squadron of Artemis Tu-22M bombers, callsign Drake, had scored several anti-ship missile hits on the ANM fleet. Four destroyers were sunk, two more damaged, and the Admiral Boschev was on fire and badly listing. The ANM has also lost much of their air power. The squadron was now in visual range of the smoke columns which marked the crippled enemy vessels. As the pulled the trigger, Thunder Lead almost felt sorry for the poor bastards on the enemy vessels. Two Harpoon anti-shipping missiles flew off into the distance from each F-18. Not long afterwards, six of the missiles slammed into the Admiral Boschev, blowing holes in at the waterline in a flash of fire. About half an hour later, during the final debrief, Thunder lead heard the good news- the Admiral Boschev had sunk in the channel between the two islands, and the other two destroyers were retreating. And with this victory came a nice fat paycheck from their clients, not to mention a performance bonus for Thunder Flight for their involvement in sinking the Boschev. WINNER: Artemis Global Security Expert's Opinion Artemis Global Security had the superior aircraft in the categories that mattered most, including advanced fighter aircraft. They also took the edge terms of firepower of their flagship. This allowed them to triumph over even the well-armed ANM. To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here. Category:Blog posts